Disposable blood processing centrifuge bowls include a rotary bowl body portion having a separation chamber for separating whole blood into constituent components. The rotary bowl body portion is commonly connected to a stem portion with a rotary seal. The stem portion includes an inlet port which allows whole blood to enter the centrifuge bowl and an outlet port which allows separated blood components to exit. The rotary seal allows the rotary bowl body portion to rotate independently of the stem portion so that the inlet and outlet ports can remain stationary.
Disposable centrifuge bowls require a chuck mechanism for securing the centrifuge bowl to the rotating mechanism during operation and a gripping mechanism for preventing rotation of the stem portion, for deflecting the rotary seal and for axially aligning the bowl in the chuck mechanism. Previous methods of securing centrifuge bowls within centrifuges have been time consuming and cumbersome. A common method of retaining the centrifuge bowl is by gripping the centrifuge bowl at a stem portion just below the inlet and outlet ports between two pivoting members. A locking device locks the two pivoting members together about the centrifuge bowl. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,524, FIG. 2, U.S. Pat. No. 3,581,981, FIG. 9 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,317,127, FIG. 7.